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About Austin Flat Water Paddling

The Austin area is crisscrossed and dotted with hundreds of spring-fed waterways. And whether it's kayaking, canoeing, rowing, or SUPing, Austinites love paddling on the pristine water.

One of the best places to paddle on flat water is right in the heart of downtown, on Lady Bird Lake. This constant-level, 400-acre section of the Colorado river is perfect for all types of paddling and rowing, and there are plenty of places to rent boats and boards along its banks. Check out Texas Rowing Center and the Rowing Dock. Motored boats are not allowed, so the water is always calm.

Just upstream on the Colorado is Lake Austin, a wider section of the river where motors are allowed, but canoeing and kayaking are still fun close to the banks.

Outside of town you’ll find a country feel in spots like, among many others, Inks Lake in the northwest and Lake Bastrop in the southeast, both about an hour away.

One of the most popular and beloved outdoor spaces in all of Texas, the Barton Creek Greenbelt has become something of a synonym for outdoor fun in Austin. In fact, although several greenbelts exist within the Austin city limits, when locals simply ...